Mason Bee Problem

frikadela · #1 (**permalink**) 21-06-2011, 08:25 PM

Hi there, im new to this forum and am just looking for some advice.

I have recently discovered that quite a lot of bees have decided to take residence under the eaves of my house. After I called out the council they informed me they were in fact mason bees and were harmless and were actually very good for the environment and would therefore not do anything about them which is fair enough.

However past 2 weeks i have been finding increasing numbers of the bees in my bedroom (which I share with my 10 week old daughter) and living room. Today I came in from a day out and there must have been at least 50 of them all dead or dying on the windowsills.
Im getting quite reluctant to sleep in that room with my daughter as i dont want them flying around her and its getting too warm with the windows closed (i suspect there getting in through the air vents as I made a point to shut the windows this morning yet they were all there when i came in)

So... My question is how long are they likely to be around for?

Also out of curiosity why is it that when they come into the house itself are they seem to die within an hour or two? They just dont seem to have as much fight in them as other bees Ive encountered.

eucera · #2 (**permalink**) 22-06-2011, 07:51 AM

Hi

A pic will be essential if we are to get anywhere with providing advice. The behaviour you have described doesn't sound like mason bees at all (more like Bombus hypnorum), and, I'm afraid, many council folks really haven't much idea.

Once we have a pic... we may be able to progress this

frikadela · #3 (**permalink**) 22-06-2011, 12:46 PM

Ok, ive managed to take a couple of photos of one of the dead ones that I found on the window ledge. Im actually quite frightened of insects especially flying ones so even picking up the dead one was hard but I battled through

Hope the pics are helpful:

Shame its dead really, would have looked quite beautiful photoed in its natural environment.

Anyhoo if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated!

Hedera · #4 (**permalink**) 22-06-2011, 12:54 PM

This looks like a honey-bee to me. Perhaps a small swarm has taken up residence in your roof? This is quite a common happening. Try contacting your local beekeeping association branch and get someone to assure you.

Matt Smith · #5 (**permalink**) 22-06-2011, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedera

This looks like a honey-bee to me. Perhaps a small swarm has taken up residence in your roof? This is quite a common happening. Try contacting your local beekeeping association branch and get someone to assure you.

These are indeed honeybees. The colony is perennial and may be active for many years if it is not removed, and by the sound of it they are able to get inside the house from the roof space, which can be a problem.

If your local beekeepers can't help (because the bees have built their nest in an inaccessible part of your roof), best bet is go go back to the council and speak to the pest control people. If not, a commercial pest controller should be able to deal with them.